“I’ve been an admirer of Tahirih since it was founded. As the organization has grown, it has continued to impress and inspire me. I’m honored to be a member of the board and to contribute to Tahirih’s important work protecting immigrant women and girls,” Saperstein said.

With offices in the Baltimore, Greater DC, and Houston, Tahirih is a national non-profit that protects courageous immigrant women and girls refusing to be victims of violence by providing free, holistic legal services and advocacy in communities, courts, and Congress.

“Helping immigrant women get legal status in this country is more helpful than giving them money or anything else. I am so grateful for what Tahirih did for me, and for what they are doing for so many others. I’m happy to be on the board of directors and to help make an impact on the future of Tahirih,” said former Tahirih client and new board member Felicité Mikanda.

The three new members began their service Feb. 11 in Washington, D.C., where they join 15 current board members who shepherd Tahirih’s legacy of protecting immigrant women and girls in the United States from violence. The Tahirih Board of Directors plays a crucial role in supporting and guiding the organization. Its members provide issue-area expertise surrounding the legal challenges faced by Tahirih’s clients and contribute significant management, consulting, policy, and fundraising experience.

Members include an array of professionals working in law, corporate, medical, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors from around the country. All have chosen to dedicate their time and knowledge to helping Tahirih protect immigrant women and girls fleeing violence.

Meet Tahirih’s Newest Board Members

Felicité Mikanda
Mikanda holds an LLM in International Human Rights from St. Thomas University in Miami. Since Tahirih helped her gain legal status, she has been providing volunteer interpretation services to Tahirih’s clients. Currently, she is a school bus driver in Maryland, but she is looking for a job in which she can use her degree.

Shira Saperstein
As Principal at Conway Strategic, Saperstein spearheads their consulting in program strategy and design, collaborating with human rights and social justice nonprofits and foundations on organizational development, capacity building, board development, and strategic planning. Prior to her current position, she was the Program Director for Women’s Rights and Reproductive Health at the Moriah Fund.

Payam Zamani
Zamani is the Founder and CEO of Reply! Inc. He is an internet pioneer, an entrepreneur, husband, and father of two girls. He’s been in the Internet world since 1994 when he co-founded Autoweb.com, the first online car buying service, and has since founded several other online ventures.

]]>http://www.tahirih.org/2015/03/tahirih-welcomes-three-new-board-members/feed/0Kae’s Story: Tahirih Client Rejects Forced Marriage, Chooses to Continue Educationhttp://www.tahirih.org/2015/02/kaes-story-tahirih-client-rejects-forced-marriage-chooses-to-continue-education/
http://www.tahirih.org/2015/02/kaes-story-tahirih-client-rejects-forced-marriage-chooses-to-continue-education/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 21:49:51 +0000Tahirih Justice Centerhttp://www.tahirih.org/?p=16744
Kae* grew up in a house of abuse and neglect. Her stepfather, a powerful man in the local government, was not only abusive to his children, but also to his three wives. His high status guarded him from any form of police intervention, and Kae knew early on that she could never ask for help. Her cries would fall on deaf ears.

When she was 10 years old, Kae’s stepfather required that she undergo female genital mutilation. She was taken to an old house where two women, who had no professional training, forced her down on the carpet where she was cut. She bled profusely and fell ill with an infection. To this day, Kae is haunted by what happened to her.

Despite her trauma, Kae did very well in her studies and was given the opportunity to to continue her education in the United States. She moved to Houston, where she excelled in academics. She lived with her stepsister, and her stepfather paid for their rent, food, and tuition.

Suddenly, the arrangement changed. In 2011, her stepfather and mother came to visit and discovered that Kae had converted to another religion. Kae’s stepfather was outraged. He immediately returned home, had her stepsister move out, and cut off all communication and financial ties with Kae. A few months later, Kae’s mother called to tell her that she must marry a man in her home country. He was more than 20 years Kae’s senior and shared the same religion as her family, meaning that she would be forced to abandon her own faith. And he already had one wife.

The forced marriage was the only way Kae would be accepted back into her family, but Kae had always been strongly opposed to polygamy and wanted to practice her own religion. She wanted a future free of violence for both herself and her children.

She wanted to choose her own path.

In 2012, with her money running out and her student status in jeopardy, Kae found her way to Tahirih Justice Center. With the help of Tahirih and her pro bono attorney from Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Kae was granted asylum.

When Kae first arrived at Tahirih, she had just lost everything. But even with her family ties severed and no resources at her disposal, she never lost hope. She relied on her faith to carry her through the difficult times. And Tahirih was there to support every step of the way.

This year, Kae finally received her green card. She is enjoying her new found independence and is looking forward to graduating college with a degree in business administration. Tahirih is proud to have served her.

Tahirih Justice Center’s Forced Marriage Initiative is proud to debut an interactive map that examines risks and resources for individuals from the U.S. facing forced marriages overseas. The map is available at PreventForcedMarriage.org, the first and only U.S.-based website exclusively dedicated to providing lifesaving resources and information for forced marriage survivors and advocates across the United States.

The Forced Marriage Overseas Country Map is the product of an innovative pro bono research partnership between Tahirih and Mayer Brown LLP, a prestigious global legal services provider, and Caterpillar Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment.

“As members of the global community, we recognize forced marriage as a pernicious global problem that threatens the freedom, safety, health, and education of women and girls around the world. We are proud to partner with Tahirih Justice Center, a pioneer in the fight to end forced marriage in the U.S., to examine the risks and resources facing girls and women who reside in the U.S. but may be facing a forced marriage overseas,” said Marc Kadish, Director of Pro Bono Activities and Litigation Training at Mayer Brown LLP.

Forced marriage—defined as a marriage that takes place without the full and free consent of one or both parties—is a human rights violation that impacts communities around the world. It can happen to a person of any race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, or national origin, and it is a problem in the United States.

“Forced marriage in the United States takes many forms. Sometimes, people living in the United States are taken overseas to experience forced marriages. Individuals may be tricked or coerced into traveling overseas, or may go abroad to visit family, only to find themselves the target of a forced marriage,” said Heather Heiman, Forced Marriage Initiative Project Manager at Tahirih.

The Forced Marriage Overseas Country Map includes specific information on laws related to marriage, as well as an overview of both risks to and protections for women and girls in each country. Individuals from the U.S. that are facing or fleeing forced marriage abroad can find themselves in challenging and sometimes dangerous situations. It can be very difficult for victims to access help, escape, or return to the U.S. once overseas, especially if identity documents like passports are confiscated. Local law enforcement may be unwilling or unable to intervene in forced marriage situations, and there may be few resources in-country (such as shelters or women’s rights agencies) that are able to help.

“This research is already having a lifesaving impact, helping Tahirih clients and others in the U.S. who are facing high-stakes forced marriage situations to find safety, dignity, and freedom. We are immensely grateful for Mayer Brown and Caterpillar’s leadership and dedication in shedding light on this urgent global problem,” Heiman said.

*Please note this list is not exhaustive of all the countries in the world where individuals from the U.S. may face forced marriage.

More than 4,000 people have added their names to the Tahirih Justice Center Change.org petition to urge President Obama to create a national action plan to protect individuals facing or fleeing forced marriages, right here in the United States. Every signature truly does matter—we’ve seen the government respond to similar appeals with real and concrete commitments.

But we need to do more to bring attention to this pressing human rights issue. We need more people to stand up and send the message that women and girls should be protected from forced marriage in the U.S.

If you haven’t signed the petition, please sign it today! If you already signed, thank you! Would you be willing to take one more small action on behalf of courageous women and girls facing or fleeing forced marriage?

Please ask your friends and family to sign, too, before our petition drive ends on March 17. One minute, one friend. That’s all it takes to double our impact!

Lawyers for detained Central American families filed a motion on Feb. 2 in federal court challenging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to uphold its commitment to treat immigrant children fairly and to discontinue its “no-release” policy for Central American women and children, some 1,000 of whom are currently detained in jail-like facilities in Karnes City, Texas, Dilley, Texas, and Leesport, Pennsylvania.

Tahirih Houston contributed to the petition, providing a declaration to support the challenge to the inhumane detention of children. As a leader in the protecting the rights of women and children seeking refuge in the United States, Tahirih Houston has served a number of children and their families in the Houston area as well as those detained at the Karnes City, Texas facility. As such, Tahirih is deeply concerned about both the conditions of the detention centers in which children and their mothers are being held, as well as its indefinite nature.

Under a 1997 class action settlement in Flores v. Johnson, immigration authorities should place children in the least restrictive setting appropriate while also treating them “with dignity, respect and special concern for their particular vulnerability as minors”. Children should be given a fair opportunity for release on bond or recognizance pending proceedings to determine whether they may remain in the United States.

The motion to enforce this settlement argues that DHS is violating Flores by its no-release policy for children apprehended with their mothers at the border; by holding children in secure (lock-down) facilities that are not licensed to take care of dependent children; and by subjecting children to unduly harsh conditions in short term detention facilities near the border. The motion to enforce the Flores settlement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

“Prolonged detention of women and children refugees is a moral and legal failure, and we must act now to end this inhumane treatment of survivors of violence,” said Archi Pyati, Director of Public Policy at Tahirih.

The Texas detention centers are run by for-profit prison companies Corrections Corporation of America and GEO Group under contract with ICE.

Counsel for plaintiffs include the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, La Raza Centro Legal, Inc., the Youth Law Center, and the University of Texas School of Law Civil Rights Clinic.

A hearing in the case is set for March 9.

]]>http://www.tahirih.org/2015/02/human-rights-and-childrens-advocates-petition-federal-court-to-halt-en-masse-detention-of-refugee-women-and-children/feed/0Groundbreaking Website Launched as Resource for Individuals Facing Forced Marriage in U.S.http://www.tahirih.org/2015/02/groundbreaking-website-launched-as-resource-for-women-and-girls-facing-forced-marriage-in-the-united-states/
http://www.tahirih.org/2015/02/groundbreaking-website-launched-as-resource-for-women-and-girls-facing-forced-marriage-in-the-united-states/#commentsMon, 16 Feb 2015 14:10:48 +0000Tahirih Justice Centerhttp://www.tahirih.org/?p=16572PreventForcedMarriage.org, the first and only U.S.-based website exclusively dedicated to providing lifesaving resources and information for forced marriage survivors and advocates across the United States.]]>PreventForcedMarriage.org is first U.S.-based website of its kind for forced marriage survivors and advocates

MEDIA CONTACT: Marlena Hartz | MarlenaH@Tahirih.org | 571-282-6193

Tahirih Justice Center’s Forced Marriage Initiative today launched PreventForcedMarriage.org, the first and only U.S.-based website exclusively devoted to providing lifesaving resources and information to individuals facing or fleeing forced marriages, as well as advocates across the United States.

Forced marriage—defined as a marriage that takes place without the full and free consent of one or both parties—is a human rights violation that impacts communities around the world. It can happen to a person of any race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, or national origin, and impacts people of all economic and educational backgrounds.

In the United States, forced marriage is a serious but neglected problem. As many as 3,000 known or suspected cases of forced marriage were encountered by advocates in the United States over a period of just two years, according to a 2011 Tahirih study. Just as alarming—less than one in five service providers are properly equipped to assist individuals facing forced marriage.

“When Tahirih began to work on forced marriage cases, we were struck by how few resources and legal options exist in the United States to assist individuals facing forced marriages, as well as how little awareness or understanding there is nationwide about the unique dynamics and challenges in forced marriage situations. Tahirih’s launch of PreventForcedMarriage.org is a vital step in reversing that reality,” said Heather Heiman, Forced Marriage Initiative Project Manager and Senior Public Policy Attorney at Tahirih.

PreventForcedMarriage.org features a wide variety of resources for individuals facing forced marriage, as well as service providers, including important safety-planning tips, user-friendly assistance request forms, a training and events calendar, a comprehensive news archive, and access to full-length reports and webinars.

“Ultimately, we hope the website will provide vital information and resources to those facing forced marriages or the people in a position to help them, thereby drastically reducing incidences of forced marriage across the United States,” said Archi Pyati, Director of Policy and Programs at Tahirih.

Q: Why did you join Tahirih’s Pro Bono Network?
A: I think every American with ancestors from somewhere else has an obligation to lend a hand to the more recent arrivals. For me, this started as a law student working in the immigration clinic at the University of Houston Law Center under the supervision of Joe Vail and Anne Chandler. When Anne became the Houston Director at Tahirih, I knew that the organization would be doing important work that I wanted to be a part of.

Q: Can you share a highlight from a memorable case?
A: My client had suffered horrific physical abuse and was eligible for a U visa for having assisted law enforcement to arrest and convict her abuser. However, the United States Citizens and Immigration Services required that we obtain old records from a small out-of-state police department before it would grant the visa. The local police department refused to release the records because the client lacked a state-issued ID. The State of Texas, where the client resided, does not issue IDs to people without valid visas. It was, in other words, a perfect catch-22. Only through diligent efforts to persuade uncooperative officials at local, state, and federal levels was the matter eventually resolved and the visa granted.

Q: How has your pro bono service impacted you?
A: I am always inspired by Tahirih’s clients. The hardships they have endured make them the exact type of people our country’s immigration laws are designed to protect, and their strength, hard work, and resilience make them the type of people that this country needs the most.

This feature originally appeared in Attorney Spotlight, a feature in our Houston Pro Bono Attorney Newsletter. Attorneys, contact Rebecca Huju at rebecca@tahirih.org to learn more about the Houston Pro Bono Attorney Network and sign up to receive our pro bono newsletter.

Tahirih acted as a fiscal agent for HT Pro Bono in its founding years, accepting donations on behalf of the legal advocacy organization as it sought its 501(c)(3) status. The fiscal sponsorship began in 2012.

HT Pro Bono empowers trafficked women, men, and children to seek justice. Like Tahirih, the non-profit connects trafficking survivors with pro bono attorneys so that human traffickers will be held accountable for their crimes and survivors can rebuild their lives.

“HT Pro Bono thanks the entire Tahirih staff for their support over the last two years. We feel very fortunate to have worked with such a superb and generous partner during this critical phase in our growth,” said Martina Vandenberg, HT Pro Bono Founder and President.

Both non-profits look forward to continued partnership in pursuit of justice for courageous survivors of human trafficking.

“It has been our pleasure to assist HT Pro Bono during its early stages, and we will be excited to watch and support its future growth,” said Layli Miller-Muro, Tahirih Founder and Executive Director.

To learn more about HT Pro Bono’s pioneering work with trafficking survivors in the United States, please visit www.htprobono.org or contact Martina Vandenberg at martina@htprobono.org.

Kathana Ratnakara, (left) a Pomegranate Tree Group performer and a “Heartbeats” comic book author, and Chenthoori Malan, a Pomegranate Tree Group performer, explore resiliency in the face of violence at a Heartbeats performance at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Photo Credit: Sneha Ganguly

Young women to speak out in DC against forced marriage and gender-based violence as part of national awareness-raising tour

A group of South Asian artists and advocates, members of Pomegranate Tree Group in partnership with Tahirih Justice Center, will wrap up a six-city tour to address violence in the lives of young women, including forced marriage, gender-based violence, racism, and patriarchy, this March in DC.

Honoring Our Heartbeats: A Tour to End Forced Marriage in the U.S. will bring three events to Washington, DC on March 17-19, including a powerful multimedia performance, a forced marriage training workshop for service providers, and an issue briefing about efforts to foster a coordinated, national response to the hidden problem of forced marriage in the United States. The tour is inspired by a comic book, “Heartbeats: The IZZAT Project,” which the young women wrote to celebrate their resiliency in the face of violence in their personal lives.

Tahirih believes awareness-raising is an important step in ending forced marriage in the United States. The U.S. government recognizes forced marriage as a violation of human rights, and a 2011 national survey by Tahirih identified as many as 3,000 cases encountered across the country in a two-year period. Yet, forced marriage remains a hidden and neglected problem in this country. Individuals at risk have few places to turn for help and service providers are not equipped to recognize and respond to cases.

Honoring Our Heartbeats: A Tour to End Forced Marriage previously made stops in New York City, Houston, San Francisco, New Brunswick, and Chicago, and has reached hundreds of service providers, attorneys, policy makers, teachers, college students, and other community members.

Open to service providers who would like to learn how to help individuals facing or fleeing forced marriage in the United States. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m., with program starting promptly at 9 a.m.

Open to all, the community forum will kick off with the play “When We Leave” and the film “Caged” by the authors of the comic book, “Heartbeats: The IZZAT Project.” The performance will be followed by a Q&A session and a reception. Complimentary copies of the “Heartbeats” book will be available. Reception will start at 6 p.m.